Ralph Flashcards
‘there was a mildness about his mouth and eyes that proclaimed no devil’
Innocence- Raph has a goodness in him.
Golding explores ideas about good and evil.
Suggests that Ralph is kind and good natured.
‘He undid the snake-clasp of his belt, lugged off his shorts and pants, and stood there naked, looking at the dazzling beach and the water.’
‘dazzling beach’ - paradisical, idea of the island being like the garden of eden
Clothing is symbolic of the constrictions of society. By taking his clothes off Ralph is freeing himself from society’s bounds. This could hint to the boys’ eventual decent into savagery.
“I could swim when I was five. Daddy taught me. He’s a commander in the Navy. When he gets leave he’ll come and rescue us.”
Innocence and naïvety ‘daddy- childish
Pride in his father’s occupation/ admiration.
Clues about Ralph’s upbringing- father often away? well-off
Dependent on adults
‘He lifted the conch. “Seems to me we ought to have a chief to decide things.”
Conch - symbol of democracy
Ralph represents order. The shell gives Ralph power and he also possesses the ability to call upon people when they are needed. This early introduction of the theme of power and control foreshadows the ideas that are integral to the plot of the book.
‘there was a stillness about Ralph that marked him out: there was his size and attractive appearance;’
The group does not rationally decide who should be the leader, but are swayed by superficial and accidental features such as looks and objects (the conch). Golding could be commenting on the way that we as a society choose some of our leaders.
‘Ralph, looking with more understanding at Piggy, saw that he was hurt and crushed. He hovered between the two courses of apology or further insult. “Better Piggy than Fatty.” he said at last, with the directness of genuine leadershp, “and anyway I’m sorry if you feel like that.”
Ralph must decide between two courses of moral action. If he apologizes, he might be seen as weak; if he proceeds to “further insult,” he is little better than Jack, and his empathy is too significant to proceed with hurting Piggy. Instead, he tries a middle course, which doesn’t take actual ownership for his actions, but which at least sounds somewhat apologetic. It shows the reader a very ‘human’ side of Ralph and sets the foundation for his and Piggy’s relationship to develop and change.
“I said before we’ll be rescued sometime. We’ve just got to wait that’s all.”
Ralph belives in rescue and he still hopes that someone from the outside world will come and save them and return them to civilisation. This is an example of their dependence on adults who can no longer help them. Ralph still has faith in the civilised world and is confident that adults will get them.
‘Something deep in Ralph spoke for him. “I’m chief. I’ll go. Don’t argue.”
At his core Ralph is brave and determined to be a good chief. He has a strong sense of responsibility.
‘Ralph talked on, excitedly.
“I hit him all right. The spear stuck in. I wounded him!”
He sunned himself in their new respect and felt that hunting was good after all.’
This marks Ralph’s slow descent into savagery. Up until now he has shunned Jack and the hunters for caring more about hunting than the signal fire. However, now that he has had a taste of it Ralph has decided that he doesn’t mind hunting and all that it stands for. It could be a comment on the savage insticts that are in all of us.
‘Ralph wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart, and the fall through the air of the true, wise friend called Piggy.’
Ralph’s rescue is not a moment of joy but despair, for Ralph realises that, although he is saved from death on the island, he has lost his innocence and learned about the evil that is present within all human beings. Golding connects Ralph’s despair to two of the main themes within the book; the end of innocnece and the ‘darkness of man’s heart’. The imagery of weeping reminds the reader that despite all he has been through Ralph is still a child. This realisation makes Golding’s point even more effective.
